Train-operated mechanism for opening and closing doors.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

No. 870,689. P. L. ROBERTSON.

TRAIN OPERATED MECHANISM FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 1907.

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No. 870,689; PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

P. L. ROBERTSON. TRAIN OPERATED MEGHANISM'FOR OPENING AND OLOS INGDOORS.

APPLICATION mum JULY3.1907.

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110. 870,689- PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

P. L. ROBERTSON. TRAIN OPERATED MECHANISM FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUL3.190'I.

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TRAIN-OPERATED MECHANISM FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed July 3.1907. Serial No. 382,035.

.county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, have invented Certainnew and useful Improvements in Train-Operated Mechanism for Opening andClosing Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention has relation to new and useful improvements in trainoperated mechanism for opening and closing doors, and particularly minedoors, and has for its object to provide a door with means whereby itmay be opened by the weight of an approaching train or other wheeledvehicle adapted to run on a track as it nearly reaches the door, andthen to close the door after the passing object has passed under thesame.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,--Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of asection of a track with a mine door and the operating means thereto inposition looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, the doorpa'rtly raised; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view, thedoor closed; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33,oi Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a detail central longitudinal section of a portion of one ofthe operating bars and adjustable weights employed in carrying out theinvention. 7

As shown in the drawings, the numerals l and 2 represent respectivelythe cross ties and rails of a section of a railway track. In carryingout the invention the rails on the two sides of the track are arrangedto have their joints directly opposite. A suitable upright supportingframe 3 is arranged at each side of the track adjacent the abutting endsof said rails, the purpose of which will be disclosed. The adjacent orabutting ends of said rails are connected to the upper ends of dependingmembers 4 removably connected in any desirable manner at their lowerends to two transverse connecting bars or members 5 arrangedtransversely under the track below the level of the tops of the crossties and pivotally connected at their extreme inner or adjacent ends tothe vertical downwardly extending portion Got a support 7 arrangedlongitudinally of the track. The outer ends of said connecting bars areadjustably connected by suitable means in one of a longitudinal seriesof transverse openings or apertures, near the front ends of operatingbars or members 8 arranged longitudinally of the track and pivoted atsuitable points intermediately of their ends in suitable bearing members9 mounted on and near the ends of one of the cross-ties. The front endsof said operating bars or members 8 are adjustably and removably securedby a bolt and link connection 10 or other equivalent means to the lowerends of vertical oppositely disposed bars or links 11 adj ustablyconnected at their upper or free ends in one of a longitudinal series ofopenings or apertures 12 in horizontally disposed arms or members l3secured in any suitable manner at their rear ends to the ends of atransverse rock shaft 14 journaled in suitable bearings 15 secured tothe upper ends of said upright supporting frames 3. The opposite ends ofsaid horizontally disposed arms or members 13 are connected by links orbars 16 to one of a longitudinal series of transverse openings orapertures 17 in longitudinally disposed door-operating members 18pivoted near their front ends by bearings 19 to said side supportingframes below said horizontally disposed arms or members 13. The rear orfree ends of said arms are secured in any suitable manner to the lowerend of a mine door 20 secured at its upper end in any suitable mannerabove the upper ends of said supporting frames 3. As shown in thedrawings, said door is composed of a strip of canvas or other suitablematerial having a suitable flexibility with a parallel series oftransverse slats, but may be made in any suitable form that falls withinthe scope of the invention.

Weights 21 are adjustably mounted on the pivoted ends of operating barsor members 8 and serve to nor mally hold the door in a closed positionor to close said door after it has been raised by the passage of a trainor other wheeled vehicle. Suitable angle bars 22 are arrangedlongitudinally of the track near the outside of the rails 2 to preventthem from spreading outwardly, while bridles 23 are arranged betweensaid rails to prevent them from spreading inwardly.

In the operation of the invention the train or other vehicle approachingnear the mine door causes a depression of the adjacent ends of therails, which rails through the medium of the depending members 4, imparta downward movement to the outer or free ends of said transverseconnecting bars or members 5. As the outer ends of the connecting barsor membore 5 are lowered, they carry with them the free ends of saidoperating bars or members 8, which bars or members, through the mediumof the connections described; impart a downward movement to the freeends of said horizontally disposed arms or members 13. As the free endsof said arms 13 move downwardly the free ends of said door-operatingmembers 18 are caused to simultaneously move upward and raise the doorto permit of the free passage of the train or other wheeled vehiclerunning on the track. After the train has passed over the rails 2 saidweights 21 act to throw the door-operating mechanism into its initialposition, and thereby close the door. The object of providing saiddoor-operating members 18 and said arms or members 13 with longitudinalseries of perforations or apertures is to secure the proper relativemovement of the door with a certain movement of the abutting ends of therails.

It is thought that from the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the drawings, the construction and operation of the invention willbe readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters-Patent, is

1. In combination with track rails free for limited vertical movement.transverse connecting members arranged under the adjacent ends of therails, said members being pivotally connected at their inner ends, meansfor connecting said members with the rails, longitudinally disposedoperating bars pivoted near said rails and connected with the outerendsof the connecting members, a flexible door suspended above andtransversely of the rails, longitudinally disposed door operatingmembers pivoted above the rails and connected at their free ends withthe lower end of the door, means for connecting the pivot ends of saidmembers with the operating bars and weights adjustably mounted on theframe ends of the operating bars.

2. In combination with track rails free for limited vertical movement,transverse connecting members pivotally connected at their inner endsand arranged under the rails, means for connecting said members withadjacent ends of the rails, longitudinally disposed operating memberspiv oted near the rails, a flexible door sustained above the rails,longitudinally disposed door operating members pivoted above the railsand connected at their free ends with the door, adjustable connectionsbetween the operating bars and door operating members and weightsadjustably arranged on the free ends of the operating bars.

3. In combination with track rails free for limited vertical movement,connecting members arranged transversely under adjacent ends of therails, said members being pivotally connected at their inner ends, meansfor connecting the rails with said connecting members, longitudinallydisposed operating bars pivoted intermediately of their ends near saidrails, and connections between the operating bars and outer ends-of theconnecting members.

4. In combination with track rails free for limited vertical movement,transversely disposed connecting members arranged under the rails, saidmembers being pivotally connected at their inner ends, means forconnecting the 7 connecting members with the rails, longitudinallydisposed operating bars pivoted near the rails, adjustable connectionsbetween the operating bars and connecting members, upright framesarranged at the sides of the rails, 21 flexible door sustained by theframes, longitudinally disposed door operating members pivoted to theframes and connected at their free ends with the door, a rock shaftjournaled between the frames above said door operating members,adjustable connections between the ends of the shaft and pivot ends ofthe door operating members, adjustable connections between the free andpivot ends of the operating bars and door operating members respectivelyand weights adjustable on the free ends of the operating bars,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

POMPIE LEE ROBERTSON,

Witnesses L. B. CRAWFORD, G. M. BAILEY.

